1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to a vehicle body structure having a one-way valve disposed at an end of a cowl in a vehicle width (i.e., transverse) direction, which quickly discharges rainwater or the like, and which prevents heat in an engine compartment from flowing into a vehicle cabin through an air inlet of the cowl.
2. Description of the Related Art
Vehicle body structures having one-way valves at an end of a cowl in a vehicle width direction are known (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication Nos. 2005-306234 and 2005-313692). Such one-way valves may be used to discharge rainwater or the like and to prevent heat in an engine compartment from flowing into a vehicle cabin through an air inlet of the cowl.
Formerly, one-way valves were positioned to partition a water channel in the cowl along the cross section thereof. Such former one-way valves included a frame having a drain opening and a flexible member disposed on the outer side of the frame with respect to the vehicle to selectively block the drain opening. The one-way valve was typically positioned downstream of an air inlet configured to introduce outside air into the vehicle cabin. Accordingly, the flexible member of the one-way valve operated to allow downstream flow of rain water through the drain opening and block the drain opening to prevent flow in the reverse direction.
Formerly, the one-way valve was typically installed following the assembly of the remainder of the vehicle body. First, a valve frame including an opening was attached at a position so that the valve frame partitioned a water channel in the vehicle body cowl along a cross section thereof. Following installation of the valve frame to the vehicle cowl, a flexible member was attached to the frame. Thus, a valve frame having an outer shape and size large enough to cover the cross section of the water channel is attached first. Then, the flexible member is passed through a small space in the valve frame to the other side and subsequently attached thereto. Therefore, the speed and efficiency in attaching the one-way valve assembly is low and costs incurred are high.
More particularly, the one-way valve was installed following the assembly of the remainder of the vehicle body, at which time a dash panel plate and a hood ridge for reinforcing the dash panel plate are disposed outside the end of the cowl in the vehicle width direction. Thus, the one-way valve could not be installed from the outside of the dash panel plate.